SONY PICTURES PRESS RELEASE: Closer (1 Viewer)

[Aaron Silverman]

WINNER OF 2 GOLDEN GLOBE® AWARDS
Best Supporting Actress, Natalie Portman
Best Supporting Actor, Clive Owen

2 ACADEMY AWARD® NOMINATIONS
Best Supporting Actress, Natalie Portman
Best Supporting Actor, Clive Owen

“At last, a love story for adults.” -Time

“Two thumbs way up.” -Ebert & Roper

Four lives. Two couples. One moment that changed everything.

Closer

Starring Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen

Coming to DVD and VHS March 29, 2005

CLOSER, directed by Academy Award®-winner Mike Nichols (1967, Best Director, The Graduate) and starring Academy Award®-winner Julia Roberts (2000, Best Actress, Erin Brockovich), Jude Law, Academy Award®-nominee and Golden Globe®-winner Natalie Portman and Academy Award®-nominee and Golden Globe®-winner Clive Owen comes to DVD (Superbit DTS) and VHS on March 29, 2005 for the SLP of $28.95 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Academy Award®-nominees and Golden Globe® Award winners for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, Drama (Clive Owen) and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, Drama (Natalie Portman) star in this smart and sexy film that keeps critics raving was nominated for three additional Golden Globe® Awards for Best Motion Picture (Drama), Best Screenplay (Patrick Marber) and Best Director (Mike Nichols). The National Board of Review declared CLOSER as “One of the 5 Best Films of the Year” and “Best Acting by an Ensemble Cast.”

SYNOPSIS
A witty, romantic, and very dangerous love story about chance meetings, instant attractions, and casual betrayals. CLOSER is director Mike Nichols’ critically acclaimed look at four strangers – Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen – with one thing in common: each other. Adapted by Patrick Marber from his award winning stage play, CLOSER “VIBRATES WITH EROTICISM BRUISING LAUGHS AND DYNAMIC PERFORMANCES. CLOSER IS A TRIUMPH.” – Peter Travers, Rolling Stone.

CAST & FILMMAKERS

Cast: Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Clive Owen
Screenplay: Patrick Marber
Director: Mike Nichols
Editors: John Bloom, Antonia Van Drimmelen
Director of Photography: Stephen Goldblatt
Production Designer: Tim Hatley

DVD BONUS FEATURES:

• Widescreen presentation (1.85 aspect ratio)
• Superbit DTS
• Audio: English 5.1, English DTS, French DS
• Subtitles: English, French
• “The Blower’s Daughter” music video by Damien Rice
• Previews

Rated: R (graphic sexual dialogue, nudity/sexuality and language)
Color
Running Time: 103:48
Orig. Aspect Ratio: 1.85
DVD $28.95 SLP, $19.95 MAP

 

[CraigL]

Wow. Once again, another Superbit with Extras. Funny.

 

[Ben Silva]

Why does this movie need a superbit? It doesn't have any explosions it's just four people talking for 2 hours.

Why couldn't they put in a commentary or two instead?

 

[CraigL]

Because that will be on the:

a) special edition DVD later this year

or

b) special edition Blu-ray DVD later this year

 

[Dave H]

Because Natalie Portman gets virtually naked.

 

[dave bula]

Despite all the media attention, awards and nominations, as well as the big name stars, Closer may have some trouble selling on DVD, at least in the US. It never opened wide in the US theaters, and many people who do not live in the larger cities never had the opportunity to decide if they wanted to see the film or not. Like Kinsey, this film never had a chance, given the failed strategy of never opening wide.

Oh, I know there are cult films that have done very well on DVD, despite negligible theatrical runs. Donnie Darko comes to mind as a modern example. However, films like that generally have a strong appeal to younger fans. I'd be surprised if Mike Nichols and the stars of Closer could generate that sort of interest among younger audiences, even if there is a brief moment or two of skin from Natalie Portman. It takes more than that.

Limited roll-out openings worked with varying degrees of success for Aviator, Million Dollar Baby, Sideways, Phantom Of The Opera, and Finding Neverland. However, even with these films, none have as yet grossed $100 million in the US. Aviator has an outside chance, and Million Dollar Baby may get a nice spike with its Oscar Win, but that's about it.

There were several other well publicized films where the limited release strategy completely failed. Not just Closer & Kinsey, but also Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, Beyond The Sea, Vera Drake, Being Julia, and Hotel Rwanda. I live in a city of 500,000 people, and out of this last bunch of films, only a couple had even very brief runs at a single theater in the entire area. Some never opened at all.

The studios really need to scrap this limited release strategy and give the films a chance to succeed. Yes, it is riskier, especially if they don't do much on the opening weekend, but would they be any worse off than they are right now under that circumstance? At least audiences would have had a chance to see these highly publicized films if they chose to.

And just to bring this back around to the DVD release of Closer, isn't there a chance that if the film had done anything at all in the theaters, might not the DVD now be offered with some reasonable extras? Yes, there might be a better edition later, but not if this one doesn't make any more money than the theatrical release did. Why would they throw good money after bad?

 

[ChrisMatson]

This is truly a great movie with great performances, but I don't know if I will buy it...it is just such a downer. There are no redeeming qualities about any of the characters.

This is a fascinating character piece that is probably more true to life than many of us feel comfortable admitting. To buy or not will be a tough decision. I will probably wait for more extras.

 

[Joel C]

Life Aquatic wasn't really a limited release. It played in something like 1,800 theaters, to the point where it was in every multiplex around here (about 55 miles from Chicago, generally not a limited-release type of area).

 

[Jim Barg]

Just saw this tonight at one of the second-run theatres in town. I agree with what Chris said. Phenomenal performances all around, but the nature of the film is so cynical and downbeat that it's hard to envision myself wanting to see this again. (I'll recommend it to others, though.) But it will get a DVD boost, what with the awards buzz and Natalie Portman fans out there.